Assembly kills increase in judicial retirement age

A proposal to increase the mandatory retirement age for Virginia judges from 70 to 73 has died in a House subcommittee.

The House Courts civil laws subcommittee failed to report the bill Monday. The same panel killed similar legislation last year, when the idea had the backing of the Judicial Council of Virginia.

Sens. Chap Petersen and John Edwards both offered legislation again this year to increase the retirement age for judges. Petersen claimed the change would save money and preserve the “institutional knowledge” of older judges.

Why is there no mandatory retirement for legislators or Governors, Lt. Governors, or Attorneys General, but there is one for Judges? It is long past the time that this issue be voted up or down and not be killed by a legislative trick.